Akitas are noble, fearless dogs who are extremely loyal and affectionate once they’ve gotten to know you. As puppies, extra care needs to be considered when it comes to their diet to ensure that they grow up healthy and strong.
Check out these types of puppy foods available for your young Akita:
Best Puppy Foods for Akitas
Here are our Akita puppy food reviews.
1. Hill’s Science Diet Dry Puppy Food
Hill’s Science Diet Dry Puppy Food is formulated to provide your Akita with a well-rounded variety of minerals. It contains calcium, which fosters healthy development in teeth and bones. The process includes no artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors.
- Locally made
- Made with DHA, extracted from fish oil, promoting eye and brain development
- Highly recommended by vets
2. Nutro Grain-Free Wet Puppy Food
For a trusted wet food variety that your Akita will love, try Nutro Grain-Free Cuts in Gravy Puppy Food. It is rich in nutrients and packed with flavor. It is formulated with no genetically modified ingredients or artificial additives.
- Made with no corn, wheat or soy
- Contains real chicken
- Can be mixed with dry food for a uniquely delicious meal
3. Diamond Naturals Premium Dry Dog Food
Diamond Naturals Large Breed Puppy Lamb-Recipe Premium provides tasty and nutritious goodness for your Akita. The kibble is specifically made smaller to ensure problem-free digestion. It is also made with glucosamine and chondroitin, which will reduce pain and joint inflammation in your dog.
- Flavorsome lamb and rice formula
- Contains probiotics
- Constructed with scientifically advanced food safety protocols
4. Blue Buffalo Natural Dry Dog Food
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Large Breed Puppy Dry Food is made with healthy vegetables such as peas, sweet potatoes, and carrots. It combines a variety of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals selected by animal nutritionists, making it a trustworthy buy for your Akita. The kibble is “cold-formed” to aid the potency of the ingredients.
- Made with L-carnitine to stimulate lean muscle growth
- DHA and ARA to improve cognitive development
- Offers bone development support with calcium and phosphorous
5. Pedigree Ground Wet Puppy Food
Pedigree Puppy Ground Dinner Wet Canned Dog Food is an ideal daily evening meal for young Akitas. It is made with real meat which your dog will love. It is formulated to foster healthy tooth and bone development.
- Available in enticing flavors such as beef, lamb, and turkey
- Contains oils which will encourage a shiny coat on your little Akita
- Locally manufactured
Akita Puppy Food Buying Guide
Akitas develop into large dogs that are fearless, affectionate, and protective of their human companions. Large-breed puppies require foods that will support the slow, sustained growth they experience throughout their childhoods. Ideally, the food you provide your young Akita with should be made specifically for large-breed puppies and enriched with minerals, vitamins, and oils. Young Akitas struggle to eat some foods, especially those that are hard-textured, so the food that you give to them should also be easily digestible.
Breed-specific
Large-breed puppies such as Akitas grow differently to their medium- and small-breed puppies. They can grow to be up to eighty pounds in one year, which is rapid even for dogs. For them to develop at the right speed, they need food made specifically for large-breed puppies, as the combination and ratio of ingredients play a crucial role in optimizing your Akita’s developmental years and help prevent future orthopedic and overall health issues.
Balanced set of nutrients
All commercial puppy food has to meet the official nutrient standards for growth provided by the Association of American Feed Control. Still, the food you feed your young Akita should also comply with their specific dietary needs.
Large breed puppies such as Akitas require the consistent provision of high-quality protein, but low levels of fat and calories. Excess fat and protein can harm their growth. The food also needs to have a balanced calcium-to-phosphorus ratio.
Easily digestible
A young, growing Akita eats two to four times as much as its adult counterpart but will struggle to eat just any type of food. Puppies with developing teeth struggle to chew harder textured foods or foods that are too large, as the former hurt their sensitive teeth, and the latter cannot be properly broken down by their digestive systems.
When buying dry foods for your Akita, avoid large kibble, aiming for brands that advertise smaller kibble that your puppy can more easily chew and swallow. Do not avoid dry food altogether, as they are essential for tooth development and are usually denser in energy than wet foods. Young Akitas will, however, find wet food easier to eat and digest, as well as enjoy the consistency, but their needs to be a healthy balance between which type of food you feed them throughout the day. A useful tip would be to mix dryer, harder foods with some wet food to make it easier for your puppy to enjoyably consume.
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